Hat-blocking machine



Feb. 23, CG" DEXTER "HA BLOCKING mcHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1929 z'sheets-sheet 1 7 /5 I i M f 46' INVENTOR 65mg: N DE TJER ATTORNEY 1932- G. N. DEXTER HAT BLocKiNG MACHINE Filed Jan. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR 7/14 will A 650F 15 NPEXTER.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

GEORGE N. DEXTER, or VAN wna'r, oHro, ASSIGNOR, BY MnsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE BUCKEYE HAT MACHINE ooIarAnY, or VAN wnar, onro HAT-BLOCKING MACHINE Application filed January 4, 1929. Serial No. 330,267.

This invention relates to an improved hatblocking apparatus.

One object of. this invention is to devise an improved form of hat-block together with a convenient and effective means for removto the steam-pot.

Another object consists in devising an im; proved means for supporting the hat-block so as to. facilitate handling of the same preparatory to insertion of the hat Within the pressing or ironing part .ofthe apparatus.

A further object consists in an improved form of ironing device wherein the heated memberis stationary.

A still further object consists in devising an improved form of heated member as part of the ironing or pressing device.

Other objects will appear fromthe following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows my improved device in front elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with parts broken away; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of'Fig. 1 Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are sectionalviews taken on lines 4+4, 55, and 6-6, respectively, of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 illustrates my improved means for rotatably mounting the hat-block upon a supporting member. I

It is to be understood that this particular device is especially adapted for the blocking of felt hats. It comprises means for first blocking the body portion of the hat and later ironing or pressing the brim. After first removing the loose particles of fur from the hat, it is inserted in inverted position within the steam-pot comprising the body portion 1 and the upper form 2 for receiving and supporting the brim of the hat while the body portion of the hat extends down within the body 1. The steam-pot is fixed upon the table 3 which is supported by the legs 4. Extending up through the table 3 is the steam sup ply pipe 5 which has a steam pipe connection at tie point 6 and which has its upper end provided with the V-shaped cuts 7 which cooperate with the baffle plate 8 to form lateral outletsfor the steam under the baffle plate. The baffle plate may be secured to the top of the pipe in any suitable manner. With this arrangement, the steam is prevented from impinging against the hat with its full force. The condensed steam is permitted to drain through the waste pipe 9.

VVhen the hat has been steamed in such a manner as just now referred to, it is placed upon the block 10 which'may be chosen according to the proper shape and size of the hat. The inside of the block is hollow and is formed witha centrally disposed depression to receive the hub 11 which is immovably secured thereto-by means of the wedge 12. The hub 11 is provided with a recess within which is received and held by pin and groove connection, the metal bushing 11 the inside of which is tapered to receive the correspondingly formed end portion 13 of the spindle 1% which is driven by the motor 15. The motor is supported upon the shelf 16 of the table ,and has belt connection 17 with the pulley 18 which in turn has reduced gear connection with the spindle 14, as indicated in the drawings, for rotation of the same. Upon placing the hat upon the block 10 and starting the motor 15, the body of the hat which has already been steamed, may be smoothed and ironed by means of hot sand bags or in any other suitable manner, as is well known to those who are familiar with the present art; These bags may be heated in a manner to be referred to. This operation may be repeated as often as required and the particular manner of connection, as here indicated between the hub 11 and the tapered end portion 13 of the spindle, facilitates ready removal of the block10 and replacement of the. same as often. as may be desired. The hollow interior of the block 10 affords a space about the hub 11 for gripping engagement of the fingers of the operator thereabout so as to facilitate handling of the same.

Upon completion of the operation as just now referred to, the block 10 with the hat thereupon is removed from the spindle and is placed in upright position with the tapering recess in the hub 11 engaging over the upwardly projecting pin 19 upon the standard 20 which rests upon the table top 3. The pin 19 is of smaller cross'section than the recess in the hub 11 so as to permit convenient rotative movement of the hat and the block thereupon. In this way, the operator may readily rotate the hat block for further and final shaping of the crown and for preliminary shaping of the brim of the hat preparatory to insertion of the same between the pressing members for ironing of the brim. It will be observed that the pin 19 is of such height that the block which is rested thereupon rests upon the top of the supporting standard 20. This arrangement affords also a convenient means of removing the h at from the block preparatory to insertion in the de vice for ironing the brim.

Upon removal of the hat from the block 10, it is placed in inverted position in the ironing device. For this purpose, there is provided the hollow, open supporting member 21 of substantially cylindrical form which is provided at the top thereof with the oppositely disposed upstanding pins 22 for registering engagement in the correspondingly formed recesses provided in the under side of the form 23 upon which the brim of the hat is adapted to be pressed. The particular form 23 will be selected according to the size and shape of the particular hat which is being blocked, and the same supporting member 21 may be employed for all of the various styles and sizes of forms 23. That is, the particular form to be employed at any given time will be placed upon the support 21 in the manner just now indicated. he hat is placed within the supporting device just now referred to, in inverted position so that the brim of the hat will rest upon the upper surface of the annular form 23, as clearly indicated in the drawings. The support 21 is centered in proper position upon the supporting member 24 by means of the oppositely disposed projections 25.

The lower supporting member 24, which constitutes part of the pressing device, is adapted for reciprocating movement in a vertical direction so as to bring the brim of the hat into pressing engagement with the upper pressing member which occupies fixed position, as will be later explained. The lower supporting member 24- is given such reciprocating movement by means of the upright post 26 secured at its upper end to the under side of the support 2 1- and pivotal y connected to the treadle 28, the rear end of which is pivotally mounted at 29 to the main supporting structure. The shell 30, as well as the shelf 16, serves as a means for storing the various forms of blocks for use in connection with different styles and sizes of hats. The front end of the treadle 28 is adapted for convenient engagement by the foot of the operator for depression of the same. At

the point of upper pivotal connection of the upright rod 27, there is provided means of connection, as indicated at the point 31, for the cables 32 which extend over the pulleys 33 and have provided at their lower ends the hooks 34 or other suitable form of means for supporting the counter-weights 35. The pulleys 33 are mounted upon the under side oi. the table 3. These parts are so constructed and arranged that the supporting member 2% will be normally forced upwardly by means of the weights 35; and the treadle 28, upon depression thereof, will serve to lower the supporting plate 24 out of pressing engagement with the upper pressing member. As will be seen from the drawings, the upright post 26 has straight line reciprocating movement through the top 3 of the main supporting structure.

The upper pressing member is located directly above the lower supporting member so that upon raising the lower member 24-, the hat which is supported thereby will be brought into effective pressing or ironing engagement with the upper pressing member. The upper pressing member is supported in fixed position by means of the uprights 36 upon the top of the table 3. Three such uprights are shown. in the present case and any suitable means may be employed for supporting connection of the same with the upper pressing member. .As here shown, the brackets 36 are threaded to the uprights 36 and set screws are also provided. The upper pressing member in detail comprises an inverted dish-shaped metal member 37 through which extends the steam pipe 38 arranged in spiral form, as indicated by reference numeral 39. The spiral, in each case, is arranged in contact with the inside surface of the top of member 37, and is further supported by the bracket 39 the flanged ends of which are secured to member 37 by the same screws which hold the brackets 36". In the present case. there are indicated two pressing devices of the character herein described, and both of the stationary upper pressing members are heated from the same steam pipe 38 which continues from the one upper member to the other and finally terminates in the drain pipe 40. Suitable valves are provided for controlling the flow of steam to the steam-pot as well as to the upper ing members. There is also provided a valve in each case for controlling the discharge throughout the drain. It is to be understood that any suitable form of pipe connection may be adopted to serve the requirements herein indicated.

Contained within the inverted dish-shaped member 37 and surrounding the steam coil 39. there is provided a granular material such as sand, indicated by reference numeral 41, which is maintained therein by means of the covering 42 of any suitable flexible material.

sand ba.

three-armed bracket 39 the top of the member 87 and provided at its lower end with the disk 46 for engagement with the outside of the covering 42. Post 45 extends through a central opening in the In this way, the central portion of the sand padding is prevented from sagging and there is ensured proper engagement of the padding with the brim portion of the hat, as for instance, illustrated in Fig. 4:. The sand is especially well adapted for transferring the heat from the steam coil to the hat brim and is at the same time of a sufficiently yielding nature, when enclosed within the covering 42, to conform itself to the particular lines of the form 23 upon which the brim of the hat is supported for pressing or ironing engagement. The gs may be heated by placing upon the top of the member 37.

The pressing of the brim of the hat in the manner just now described constitutes the last step in the blocking process contem plated by the present invention. The hat is then ready for removal from the blocking apparatus and another may be inserted at once.

The advantages to be realized in connection with the removable hat-block 10 and its convenient means of attachment to and detachment from the operating spindle will be obvious from the above description. Likewise, there are other obvious advantages which have been briefly referred to in connection with the steam-pot and the supporting standard upon which the block is rotatably rested preparatory to transfer of the hat to the pressing device. By virtue of the stationary form of the upper, padded, pressing member, the steam pipe connections for such member are simplified since no movement is required between the parts of such steam connection. Only the lower member is required t0 be moved in order to produce an effective pressing engagement between the two members. At the same time, there is produced a comparatively simple and yet efiicient pressing engagement for ironing of the brim of the hat. Also, the smooth top of member 37 affords a convenient and eiiicient means for heatlng the sand bags. Furthermore, with the present device, various forms of blocks The present disclosure is merely for purposes of illustration, it being understood that the present form of structure is capable of various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit of the present invention as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a hat-blocking machine, the combination of a stationary, yieldably compressible heated pressing member, means for supplying heat to the inside thereof, a reciprocatable support adapted to receive a hat and to move the same into pressing engagement with said heated member, means normally holding said support in engaging position, thereby obtaining maximum heating efficiency, and means for withdrawing said support so as to receive the hat.

2. In a hat-blocking machine, the combination of an upper stationary pressing member, a stationary heating means in said pressing member, a granular pressing medium within said member and surrounding said heating means, and adapted to receive and transmit the heat from said heating means at all times, a covering for the under-side of said member, means engaging said covering so as to maintain the said pressing medium in a substantially annular form for effective pressing engagement with the brim of a hat, a lower hat-supporting member adapted for raising and lowering movement towards and away from said upper member, and means for operating said lower member.

3. In a hat-blocking machine, a pressing member comprising an inverted pan-shaped body, a heating coil in said body, fixed outside connections for said coil, granular material in said body and surrounding said coil at all times, a flexible covering for the lower open side of said body, means for removably securing said covering upon said body, and means depending from the central portion of the upper, closed side of said body and supporting the central portion of the covering and the granular material therein, whereby the lower side of the pressing member will effectively engage the brim of the hat and will conform itself to the particular design provided for a given brim.

4:. In a hat-blocking machine, a pressing member having its under side provided with a depending flexible covering, granular material within said covering, means within said pressing member for heating the same, and means depending from the central portion of the top of said pressing member and supporting the central portion of the said covering and granular material.

In testimony wherof, I hereby affix my signature.

GEORGE N. DEXTER.

may be employed and the present means for I supporting the same are of comparatively simple form and yet highly efficient. 

